Throat plate for a sewing machine



y 5, 1964 NOBORU IDOMOTO 3,131,659

THROAT PLATE FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed May 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR. NOB'OR MOTO BY We FM )6 44 May 5, 1964 NOBQRU IDOMOTO THROAT PLATE FOR A SEWING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1962 INVENTOR 2222: l OMOTO M M F #Q Q EH] 5.

No BY United St t Pat 0.

3 131 659 THROAT PLATE SEWING MACHINE Noboru Idomoto, Osaka City, Osaka, Japan, assignor to Maruyen Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., Osaka .City, Osaka,

Japan Filed May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 196,074 Claims priority, application Japan May 26, 1961 4 Claims. (Cl. 112260) My invention relates to throat plates for zig-zag stitch type ornamental stitch sewing machines. More particularly, my invention relates to a throat plate which is adjustable to selectively present an appropriate needle aperture in the throat plate for straight or for zig-zag stitching.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a throat plate in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line A--A of FIG. 1 and showing, in dotted lines, the pressure foot and needle of a sewing machine;

FIG.'3 is an exploded perspective view of the throat plate of my invention and showing the-component parts ,ofthesame. I

Referring to the drawings; 'my improved throat plate includes a mainplate'body 10, shapedsubstantially as illustrated, and provided with a'pairof apertures 11 to receive suitable screws'by which the plate body may be secured to a machine base. The'plate body is provided, substantially medially thereof, with a recess 12 extending to opposite edges of the plate body. The recess 12 includes end portions 13 and 14 and an intermediate portion 16. The end portion 13 is of considerably greater length than the opposite end portion 14 with both of said end portions being of identical widths and in linear registration. The intermediate recess portion 16 is of somewhat greater width than the adjacent end portions 13 and 14 and is provided with two pairs of parallel slots 17 and 18 for receiving the feed dog of the sewing machine. It will be seen that the intermediate slots 18 are of shorter length than the outer slots 17 which extend substantially the full length of the intermediate recess portion 16. Within the intermediate recess portion 16 there is provided an elongated needle slot 19 which extends transversely of the feed dog slots 17 and 18 and which is in registration with the needle 20, shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. In the end portion 13 of the recess there is provided an elongated guide slot 21 and arranged in linear alinement therewith is a pair of spaced detent apertures 22 and 23, for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. The surface of the plate body 10 is scored as at 24 and 26 to provide reference markings.

The slide plate, indicated generally by the numeral 27, has a thickness substantially one-half that of the main plate body 10 and is slideably received within the end portions 13 and 14 of the recess. The slide plate 27 is provided with a pair of parallel feed dog slots 28 which are in registration with the slots 18. Said slide plate also has two needle apertures 29 and 31. The needle aperture 29 is elongated with its major axis extending transversely of the feed dog slots 28 and is substantially of the same size as the needle aperture 19 in the main plate body. The needle aperture 31 is circular and the spacing between the needle apertures 29 and 31 corresponds to the spacing between the detent apertures 22 and 23 in the main plate body.

A leaf spring 32 is secured to the slide plate 27, as by a shouldered screw 33, which passes through the slot 21 and is received in a threaded aperture 34 in the slide plate 27. The free end of the leaf spring 32 is pro- 3,131,659 Patented May 5,1964

vided with a detent protuberance 36 which is arranged to co-operate with either of the detent apertures 22 and 23, as will be hereinafter explained.

The operation of my invention should be apparent from the'foregoing description, but briefly stated, it is as follows: When it is desired to employ the sewing machine for straight stitching, the slide plate 27 is manually shifted to align the needle aperture 31 with the aperture 19 of the plate body 10. In this position, the aperture 31 is in superimposed registration with the aperture 19 and the screw 33 is disposed in abutment with the left hand end of the guide slot 21, as viewed in FIG. 2 with the protuberance 36 of the spring 32 received in the detent aperture 22. The slide element 27 thereby is retained by spring pressure in the desired position, against inadvertent displacement.

When it is desired to use the machine for zig-zag ornamental stitching, the slide element 27 is manually moved to the position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the needle apertures 29 and 19 are in vertical registration and in this position the detent protuberance 36 is received within the detent aperture 23 while the screw 33 is in abutting relation with the opposite end of the guide slot 21.

To insure that the slide element 27 is in one of the two positions of adjustment, the operator merely is required to make sure that the score mark 37 on the slide plate is in registration with one of the score marks 24 or 26 on the plate body. It will be apparent that with the above construction, either one of the needle apertures 29 or 31 may be selected for use and the likelihood of any needle breaking in service is virtually eliminated, since the slide plate 27 is substantially locked in position, against inadvertent displacement.

Various other changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sewing machine throat plate comprising,

(a) a plate body having a recess extending in a direction parallel to the line of feed, there being a plurality of parallel feed dog slots in said recess extending longitudinally thereof,

(b) said plate body having in said recess an elongated needle slot extending transversely thereof and spaced from one end of said feed dog slots,

(0) said plate body having in said recess a pair of detent apertures spaced apart in a direction parallel to the line of feed,

(d) a slide plate slideably received in said recess,

(e) means securing said slide plate for limited sliding movement in said recess,

(f) said slide plate having a transversely extending elongated needle slot, a circular needle aperture, and a pair of feed dog slots in registration with said first mentioned feed dog slots,

(g) said slide plate being slideable to selectively eflect registration of either the needle slot or circular needle aperture thereof with the needle slot in said plate body,

(h) and detent means carried on said slide plate and arranged to cooperate with either of said detent apertures to secure said slide plate in one of two positions of adjustment.

2. A sewing machine throat plate comprising,

(a) a plate body having a recess extending in a direction parallel to the line of feed, there being a plurality 3 of feed dog slots in said recess extending longitudinally thereof,

(b) said plate body having in said recess an elongated needle slot extending transversely thereof and spaced from one end of said feed dog slots,

(c) said plate body also having in said recess a pair of detent apertures spaced apart in a direction parallel to the line of feed,

(d) a slide plate slideably received in said recess,

(e) said slide plate having a transversely extending elongated needle slot, a circular needle aperture, and a plurality of feed dog slots in registration with said first mentioned feed dog slots,

(f) said plate body having in said recess an elongated screw slot extending longitudinally thereof,

(g) resilient detent means secured to said slide plate by a screw passing through said screw slot and engaging in a threaded aperture in said slide plate,

(11) said detent means arranged to cooperate with either of said detent apertures to secure said slide plate in one of two positions of adjustment.

3. A sewing machine throat plate comprising,

(a) a plate body,

(b) a slide plate,

(0) means for guiding said slide plate for sliding movement in a direction parallel to the line of feed,

(d) said plate body and said slide plate each having a plurality of feed dog slots, with the slots of one being in registration with the slots of the other,

(e) said plate body having an elongated needle slot extending transversely of said feed dog slots,

(f) said slide plate having an elongated needle slot extending transversely of said feed dog slots and having also a needle aperture spaced from said needle slot,

(g) said slide plate being moveable so as to effect selective registration of the needle slot of the plate body with either the needle slot or the aperture of the slide plate,

(h) and means for securing said slide plate in one of two positions of adjustment.

4. A sewing machine throat plate comprising,

(a) a plate body,

(12) a slide plate,

(a) means for guiding said slide plate for sliding movement in a direction parallel to the line of feed, (d) said plate body and said slide plate each having a plurality of parallel feed dog slots, with the slots of one being in registration with the slots of the other,

(e) said plate body having a needle opening,

(1) said slide plate having two spaced needle openings,

(g) said slide plate being moveable so as to effect registration of one of the needle openings thereof with the needle opening of the plate body,

(h) and means for selectively securing said slide plate in one of two positions of adjustment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 962,021 Graydon June 21, 1910 1,145,175 Weis July 6, 1915 1,290,924 Davis Jan. 14, 1919 1,795,373 Maier Mar. 10, 1931 2,877,728 Enos Mar. 17, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 131,,659 May 5 1964 Noboru Idomoto It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat- ;ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant lines 2 and 12 and in the heading to the printed specification line 4 for "'Maruyen Sewing Machine Co. Ltd, each occurrence read Maruzen Sewing Machine Co Ltd.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of September 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER' EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

4. A SEWING MACHINE THROAT PLATE COMPRISING, (A)A PLATE BODY, (B) A SLIDE PLATE, (C) MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID SLIDE PLATE FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE LINE OF FEED, (D)SAID PLATE BODY AND SAID SLIDE PLATE EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL FEED DOG SLOTS, WITH THE SLOTS OF ONE BEING IN REGISTRATION WITH THE SLOTS OF THE OTHER, (E) SAID PLATE BODY HAVING A NEEDLE OPENING, (F) SAID SLIDE PLATE HAVING TWO SPACED NEEDLE OPENINGS, (G) SAID SLIDE PLATE BEING MOVEABLE SO AS TO EFFECT REGISTRATION OF ONE OF THE NEEDLE OPENINGS THEREOF WITH THE NEEDLE OPENING OF THE PLATE BODY, (H) AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SECURING SAID SLIDE PLATE IN ONE OF TWO POSITIONS OF ADJUSTMENT. 